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While working on the arrangement of GBBT, I wanted to look at some examples of uses of brass instruments to get that Boston Pops/Hollywood/Disneyschmaltz/over-the-top marchy style sound. In the course of this search I turned to an iconic American master, John Phillip Sousa. Not only was the search edifying, but I learned that one of his very very very famous marches is titled…(drum roll)… The Washington Post March. Naturally, it became imperative that the composition be quoted in the show somehow.

You’ve heard this many times in many contexts. Like the dreaded Sherman brothers, JPS was one of the foremost earworm composers of his day. His stuff is still popular (there seems to be some kind of law requiring orchestras to play The Stars and Stripes Forever at the requisite 4th of July concert as the fireworks go off). One other funny thing I realized about this piece, however, is that I had only ever heard excerpts from it. I instantly recognized every tune in each section, but didn’t realize they were all part of the same piece until I looked at the whole thing.

There is a great recording of The Washington Post March on You Tube of all places. When I really listened, I heard a lot of cool stuff going on in it.

These are some photos I took of the old Santa Cruz Sentinel building way back in September of 08. At the time we were drooling over the weird, cavernous room – it’s where the printer used to be – and thought about what an awesome place it would be to stage a performance or do an installation. It eventually became one of the big inspirations for the show.

It’s pretty clear that the presentation is intended not for the public, but for GE executives. That thought certainly changes the tenor of Disney’s remark about the song being “written especially for you,”. Watching this, gives me an icky kind of feeling that I get when I hear super-capitalist business people talk about ideas, or discuss their ventures in terms of the public good. I can’t shake the sense that the ideas themselves don’t actually matter, except in relation to their potential for profit. That’s when I get the creeps.

This is a reiteration of an older post, but I loved this article in Utne Reader. I think it’s a very cogent perspective on our peculiar historical moment with respect to information, news, literacy, etc.

Just a couple of remarks about the very interesting Bill Joy TED talk. I just wanted to note that it’s clear from this talk that Joy is certainly not in any way anti-technology, or arguing from a Luddist perspective. He’s clearly believes in the power of technology – and capital. What he does say essentially, and this is the part that capital abhors, is that there are important dimensions of life and of civilization lying outside the spheres of capitalism and technology that must be brought to bear on the dilemmas created by them. Moral imagination is required: old-fashioned thinking – no computers necessary, in fact, technology can get in the way here.

In addition, there will be newspaper pages falling from the ceiling and blowing across the stage.

Newspapers

Fans to move papers across stage

Crew dumping papers from above.

Ray K. appears alone onstage, sitting on a toilet reading the news on an electronic reader. Announces the end of the show. (I think there needs to be some kind of epilogue-type thing here, in which the audience is addressed directly, in the manner of a Shakespeare comedy, etc.).

“CURTAIN”

Throughout the piece, the Printer makes noises and displays lights and projections, belches steam, etc. by way of comment on action and speeches. Projected text can also provide commentary on action. There should be a multiplicity of voices throughout, to reflect the complexity of the issue.

Throughout the piece, the Printer makes noises and displays lights and projections, belches steam, etc. by way of comment on action and speeches. Projected text can also provide commentary on action. There should be a multiplicity of voices throughout, to reflect the complexity of the issue.